Irish beef processors warned South Korea is a tough market to break into

Irish beef processors considering moves into the South Korean market have been warned by a local market expert not to be complacent.

In May, South Korea officially opened market access for beef from France and Ireland.

The move represents a huge opportunity for Irish beef processors, with South Korea counted as one of the world’s largest importers of the meat and the highest per-capita consumer in Asia.

Earlier this week, ABP Food Group became the first Irish beef processor to launch in the South Korean market after securing an export agreement with meat importer K Meat.

Mi-Gyoung Kim, an EU delegate in South Korea, was speaking at a seminar in Seoul covering the launch of Irish beef in the market.

Ms Kim warned about complacency, noting the importance in how Ireland positions its beef.

She said the US and Australia had succeeded on this front in the market and were reaping the benefits.

The market expert noted that Ireland’s grass-fed beef cattle was unique, suggesting it could be a way for Irish beef processors to tap into South Korea.

However, Ms Kim recognised that the awareness of Irish beef was low in South Korea.

Research from Bord Bia presented at the seminar found that 67pc of South Koreans surveyed said they would like to try Irish beef.

The survey of 1,000 people also found that Ireland was strongly associated with nature, safety, cleanliness, and high-quality food production.

The report also found that Irish beef was considered more premium than US beef and on par with Australian beef.

However, the research also found that domestically produced South Korean beef was consumed for its taste and quality, while imported beef was primarily chosen on the basis of price.

Grass-fed beef was considered healthier, ‘more natural’, ‘more environmentally friendly’ and had associations of stronger animal welfare.

Commenting on the findings, Bord Bia chief executive Jim O’Toole said the report shows potential for Irish beef to claim market share on the basis of its grass-fed credentials.

“Although Irish beef had not yet reached the market when the survey was conducted, 67pc said they would like to try Irish beef,” he said.

“This research was commissioned to complement Bord Bia’s existing market expertise and to provide an accurate gauge for our exporters of how Irish beef can be positioned in this competitive beef market.”

Reporting on:independent.ie